I expect Jimlad1 will be along shortly to add some perspective to this.
However, in the meantime, one point being missed throughout all this headcount reduction malarkey is that a significant number of the civvy posts are not about delivering the capability. They are, in management-speak, about delivering compliance with the huge amount of intrusive box-ticking legislation that has mushroomed over the last fifteen years.
Equality & Diversity?
Environmental compliance and energy-saving?
Investing in People (ho f8cking-ho)?
Data protection?
Anybody think these functions are going to get canned to "bear down further on non-front line costs"?
Didn't think so.....Much easier to blame equipment overspend and profligacy.